IdN v15n6: Retail Desire — Designers turning us all into shopaholics

We all have our favourite places to shop, browse, eat and drink or just hang out, but did you ever wonder what makes them your favourite? Feeling “comfortable” in the space is a large part of the attraction, albeit subliminal. And this is the result of a lot of hard work and inspiration on the part of what are known as retail designers. We have gathered together eight top names in the field, all experts at giving body (retail design) and soul (visual identity) to the biggest of brands.

Content:

Feature: Designers of the retail revolution
Playback: Experimentation can pay off
Studio: The artist that lurked in a lawyer’s soul
Creative Country: Peru
Video Games: Heavy Mental
Exhibition:Inside the bouse of Viktor and Rolf
Top Talent: Crystal glazing into bright future

Specifications:

Designers of the retail revolution

We all have our favourite places to shop, browse, eat and drink or just hang out, but did you ever wonder what makes them your favourite? Feeling “comfortable” in the space is a large part of the attraction, albeit subliminal. And this is the result of a lot of hard work and inspiration on the part of what are known as retail designers. We have gathered together eight top names in the field, all experts at giving body (retail design) and soul (visual identity) to the biggest of brands.

Featuring:

Experimentation can pay off

Los Angeles-born Matt Lambert aka dieLamb, who worked in Germany and London before settling in New York, and Stefano Dembro, a design and directing “crew” named after one of its founders, which moved upmarket from Brooklyn to Manhattan, both manage to keep taking chances artistically while still putting plenty of food on the table.

The artist that lurked in a lawyer’s soul

Be careful: how you handle your stress could result in a life-changing experience. This is what happened to New Zealander David Foox, he picked up some paints and brushes to calm the tension from his bar exam – and now finds art to be the fulcrum of his existence.

Where “Chicha” meets Machu Picchu

The pulsating rhythms of its indigenous big-city music genre, Chicha, and the exotic flavours of its cusine have combined with its long and colourful history, both pre-and post-Conquistadores, to make contemporary Peruvian design among the most vibrant in Latin-America.

Heavy Mental

The line between video games and motion works is becoming more blurred by the day. This proposition is amply borne out by the unique introduction to Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, one of the most ambitious – expensive – games ever to hit the market. Los Angeles-based design studio Logan was invited to design a special introduction for it - and the creative team used the opportunity to blur the boundaries even further. We talk to Logan’s Alexei Tylevich about the challenges involved.

Inside the house of Viktor&Rolf

This controversial pair of Dutch fashion designers have spent the last 15 years shocking – and delighting – the world of haute couture. Unsurprisingly, their retrospective exhibition at the Barbican Art Gallery in London is as outrageous – and amusing – as their collections have always been. It takes place in a specially constructed gigantic dolls’ house, built within the gallery and filled with miniature models wearing V and R creations. Featuring an exclusive interview with the curator of The House of Viktot and Rolf, Jane Alison.

Crystal glazing into bright future

Crystal Chou decided to follow her innate passion for art and design after got her degree in computer science. Now working on her Master’s in graphic design, her thorough grounding in technology provides a perfect platform for her creativity. Definitely one to watch out for.